1. MAPPING and META-MAJORS in Advising & Student Orientation
Dr. Karen Laughlin
Dean of Undergraduate Studies
Florida State University
September 1, 2015

2. Clustering Majors at FSU

3. Includes Cluster Descriptions & Term by Term Academic Maps

4. FSU Academic Maps
Maps include term by term suggested schedule plus “milestones” students must complete in order to progress in that major.
Students can see these even before enrollment and maps are emphasized at Orientation.
Students declare their major at Admission but have the option of “Exploratory.” Can change majors at Orientation.

5. Students Must Complete Milestone Courses
or a Hold is Placed on their Registration
Source:

6. Maps are not enough
Effective degree completion programs require a robust program of advising/support
For students who fail to meet mapping milestones
For effective major selection
For transfer students & special populations

7. Exploratory: The New Undecided
Empowering students to make informed and integrated academic and career decisions.
Time-limited (3 terms or less)
Mandatory Advising
Structured Program
Classes align with General Education and Mapping Milestones
Exploratory = One of the “special populations” of FTICs. At FSU the Exploratory major is the reinvention of the old undecided major.
This fall (18%) of our 6200 FTICs are Exploratory (Total of 1750 or 14% 1st and 2nd year FTICs).
This program closed the 5% “Retention Gap” between Undecided FTICs and those who entered with a declared major. Retention now closely parallels FSU’s overall 92% first-year retention rate.
Undecided was passive and the expectation was that students would enroll in general education requirements and the major would eventually present itself.
Exploratory connotes action. The student takes ownership of the process and actively seeks out answers.
It is time limited with the expectation that the major selection will occur in the first two terms (3 terms max).
Advising is mandatory and each session is structured to move the students through the major selection process.
Another important component of the program is the integration with our general education requirements. Students identify interest areas on the first day of Orientation and advisors make course recommendations that allow students to test the academic waters and simultaneously meet early mapping and Liberal Studies requirements.

8. The Exploratory Approach
Three Phases:
Self Exploration
Major Exploration
Career Exploration
Institutional
Offerings
The Exploratory approach is based on the work of Virginia Gordon who has conducted research on major selection among college students.
Gordon asserts that approximately 70% of students are undecided to some degree and require support throughout the major selection process.
We use her concept that in order to make a sound and informed decision, students must integrate three phases of exploration: self, major and career.
Through a funneling process, students explore the many institutional offerings
By taking intentional action steps within these three phases, they are able to select an academic major.
The Exploratory advisors guide the process by assigning reflection, research, and experiential learning opportunities (internships, job shadowing, related part-time employment) to progress through the decision-making process.
The advising relationship is continuous and the advisor supports the student throughout each phase of exploration.
NOTE: Students MAY be temporarily admitted into “Exploratory II” when required to change their major and unsure of their best option. These students will be taken through an abbreviated version of the process just described.
NOTE: We feel that the point of college entrance is the appropriate time to choose a major
Academic
Major

9. Exploratory Advising Are You Interested In…?
Business: Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Finance, General Management, Global Club Management, Hospitality Administration, Human Resource Management, International Affairs (Economics Focus), Language with a Concentration in Business, Management Information Systems (MIS), Marketing, Management, Professional Sales, Real Estate, Retail Management, Retail Merchandising & Product Development, Risk Management & Insurance, Sport Management 
Computers: Computational Biology, Computational Science, Computer Criminology, Computer Engineering, Computer Science (BS/BA), Information Technology (IT), Management Information Systems (MIS), Information Communication & Technology (ICT)
Education/Teaching: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, English Education, Family & Child Science, FSU-Teach (Applied Geosciences, Biology, Chemical Science, Mathematics, Physical Science), Music Education, Social Science Education, Special Education: Exceptional Student Education/Visual Disabilities 
Engineering: Chemical, Chemical-Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, Mechanical 
Environment: Biological Science, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science (BS), Environmental Science and Policy (BA), Environmental Studies, Geography, Meteorology
We now do not enroll Exploratory students in specific clusters. Many students come in with multiple interests who want to investigate possibilities that cut across clusters.
But we have developed “Exploratory Zones” or interest areas to help students begin organizing their thinking about major selection and possible career options.
And we work closely with students interested in STEM and Business especially to be sure they are taking the right math and science courses
This is advising-intensive work, but it has definitely improved progress to degree for those FTICs who come in unsure about their major.

10. Transfer Students: College-Based Mapping Coordinators Play a Key Role
Review all transfer applications that meet basic admissions requirements
Must meet milestones for desired major
If not, coordinators will advise students to remain at current institution to complete needed course work and/or achieve necessary GPA
If so, coordinators will set appropriate map term
Our system give students immediate contact with someone at FSU who can tell them where they stand.
We also make maps available to all of our CC feeder schools and work to train CC advisors to help students prepare to be on course when they transfer.
map term usu. Set at term 4 for AA transfers
FSU has an advising office at TCC where our advisors meet regularly with TCC students interested in transferring to FSU
FSU Advising office at TCC facilitates preparedness for transfer

11. Partnering with our Feeder Institution
This partnership has been further strengthened by the development of the Golden Guarantee program
TCC2FSU provides guaranteed admission into Florida State University for Tallahassee Community College Associate in Arts degree graduates when graduates meet the specified FSU program milestones and requirements. Other benefits include:
Personalized advising with transfer-focused TCC and FSU advisors
Specialized programming and college success workshops
Support for students wishing to stay on track and apply for FSU's competitive limited-access programs
Provides a strong foundation for graduates moving on to FSU.

12. Meta-Majors at TCC

13. Meta-Majors Include AA Transfer Options

14. Resemble FSU Maps

15. Career Information Included

16. POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Every program for both community college and university degrees should have some kind of degree map.
Provide strong encouragement and support to help students select an “area of interest” upon entering but no later than the middle of the second year.
Improvement takes time; measure success and don’t change funding models every year.

17. Thank You!
Contact Information:
(850)